Education, BIPOC, mental health, climate action, LGBTQ and sexism have all received more national attention in recent years, especially in 2020. In Flagstaff, they are among the social issues that have captured the attention of Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy students, who specifically requested to study these topics this spring.
The resulting school initiative is the Social Justice Symposium, a semester-long project of twice-monthly virtual presentations led by students and featuring community members who share their experiences in these areas.
“I think FALA is taking the initiative from 2020 to try and make positive changes in a time of horrible things,” said Keetra Bippus, 17, who presented on the teacher-powered school model, where teachers have more of a role in school policy decision, in one of the education symposiums. “The symposium brings in a sense of diversity and inclusivity and different perspectives to encourage students to think deeper about the world that they live in and the people who are around them. I think it also empowers students to know that they’re listened to and heard and they have a place to speak up if they need to.”
To date, two-part symposiums have been hosted on education and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), two of the topics of interest identified by students in a community forum this fall. Each month, one symposium is targeted for the entire school and another is optional for classes to attend. All sessions are also open to parents and community members, and recorded versions of previous symposiums are available online.
Though largely led by students, the symposium is co-curated by art teacher Janeece Henes and Michael Levin, who teaches theater and creative writing.
“We have some hard problems currently and ahead of us, and we understand that education is that piece — that is how we are really going to help and support our students to lead a civically engaged life, however they choose,” Henes said.
Henes explained the symposium is an opportunity for students to learn from other human experiences, beyond textbook information. Participants in the symposium to date have included former Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, artist Ed Kabotie and FALA alumni.
“We’re very much into experiential learning, so this is our way of bringing the world to our students through this experience where we feel pretty sheltered,” Henes said.
“We’re all, as one community, trying to become better citizens and it doesn’t come without some controversy, because when you’re talking about social justice invariably in this divided nation, you’re going to certainly press some buttons, but we know the work is worth it,” added Levin, who described the symposium as the most exciting class periods held this year during remote learning.
Kim Khatibi, special education director and adviser of the Indigenous Youth Club, said that especially during virtual learning, students are hungry for the sort of human connection and social awareness offered by the symposium.
“You have all these things that have been happening, and how can we not, as a learning institution, react to that and provide these opportunities for our community to discuss in dialog and reflect when it is just such a big, profound thing,” Khatibi said.
Reece Dominguez, 16, a junior and president of FALA’s Indigenous Youth Club, moderated the first BIPOC session on Feb. 12, and planned to share his own experiences as a member of the Hopi tribe in Friday’s symposium, alongside a choir performance.
“There were people who were Hispanic and people who were from a different tribe than I was, and it was really eye-opening to hear their experiences and how they answered the questions, coming from where they grew up,” he said of his experience as a moderator. “I think it’s actually really good that we’re hosting these relatively often now, because, especially with everything that happened during the summer, it’s really good to learn and recognize the struggles people face that are hidden from the general public.”
Senior Minz Wiebezal, 18, said they have similarly enjoyed the symposium topics, which are unlike anything presented to them at their previous high school.
“Especially because we’re next to the San Francisco Peaks, learning the history about it and how the Indigenous people around here live is really interesting and eye-opening,” said Wiebezal, who has helped create the art featured on the symposium webpage.
The most recent symposium on Friday featured FALA alum filmmaker Keanu Jones and Lyrica Maldonado, co-director of Uplift Climate, as well as Development Director of the Flagstaff Family Food Center Carrie Henderson.
Like every session, Levin said, the symposium is a call to action for students, though the next steps are up to them.
“This is going to be the generation that are the change-makers. Any efforts that we’re putting into this is to cultivate that so they create the world that we — and our parents' parents and their parents — messed up,” Levin said. “Their voices are so strong and it’s so beautiful to watch them rise. It’s inspirational.”
For more information about FALA’s Social Justice Symposium, visit https://spark.adobe.com/page/2EcoOEsedAujA/.